Illinois School Bus Passing

What is the name of your state? Illinois

What exactly are the rules for passing a school bus in Illinois. The problem is, everyday the same bus sits on the side of the road for about 10 minutes, with only the yellow flashing lights. Everyday she is passed by about 5 cars when there are no red flashing lights or stop arm extended. Of course somebody gets a ticket and wants to fight it. Yellow is only a warning when the bus is not loading or unloading, only stopping, right? What are the chances of not being convicted?

You must stop before meeting or overtaking a school bus loading or unloading passengers. A warning will be given at least 100 ft. (200 ft. in rural areas) in advance of a stop. The bus driver will flash amber and red lights on the front and rear of the bus. The stop signal arm will be extended after the school bus has come to a complete stop. You must then come to a complete stop. You may proceed when the school bus resumes motion or the bus driver signals you to do so.

It is also illegal to pass a school bus in a school zone.

Your driving privileges will be suspended for three months if you are convicted of illegally passing a stopped school bus. If you receive two such convictions within five years, your driving privileges will be suspended for one year. In addition to the suspensions, violators will be for a first conviction and $500 for a second or subsequent conviction.

In illinois, when the school buses' yellow lights are flashing, that is a warning to be prepared to stop because the school bus is about to pick up or discharge passengers. When the yellow lights are flashing, you are not required to stop. You are required to slow down significantly, stay alert, and be prepared to come to a stop if the lights switch to red before you overtake the school bus. When the lights switch to red with the stop arm extends if you have not yet passed the bus, you are required to come to a complete stop until the red lights cease and the stop arm is deactivated. You are required to stop for the school bus with red lights activated if you are traveling in either direction of a two lane roadway, and in the same direction of a four or more laned roadway as the stopped bus. If you are traveling in the opposite lanes of a four-laned (two or more lanes in each direction with a double yellow line in the middle) roadway, you are not required to stop for a stopped school bus (whether or not the four-lane roadway is divided with a median) FYI, some other states, such as Virginia, require drivers in the opposite lanes of a four or more lane roadway to stop for a stopped school bus, unless that roadway is divided (has a median strip).

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